ADOPT AN ISLAND

An International Appeal to Help Communities Rebuild their Lives

A silent disaster is emerging in the Maldives. More than a month since the tsunami devasted one-third of the nation’s inhabited islands, thousands of people are still unable to return to their communities, as insufficient funds are avaliable to cover the very basic human need for shelter. News about the extensive devastation of the Maldives has not adequately reached donor countries or the global public oppinion— this is being described by those bearing witness as the silent disaster.

Recovery begins with a home. Therefore, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), with support from the Government of the Maldives, offers private donors an opportunity to directly support communities to rebuild their homes by participating in the ADOPT AN ISLAND initiative.

In the Maldives, building a home takes a lifetime. If, for example, a family has a good fishing season, the extra money is normally used to add more room to their dwelling. In this way, people build their homes: room by room, year by year. The tsunami swept away these decades of progress in a matter of minutes. Shelter on the Moldivian islands is about lives and livelihood. A home kitchen is a productive unit where women process and dry fish for sale or to feed their family. A home’s roof is a lifeline – collecting rainwater in dispensers for drinking.

The Government estimates that one-third of the population was severely affected. Of the 199 inhabited islands, 13 were abandoned, while 53 were severely damaged: public buildings ruined, water and sanitation systems gone, livelihoods shattered. Many are without incomes because their boats, nets, and agricultural tools are lost. Tourism, which delivers 33 percent of GDP, has slumped. Luckily the exclusive resort islands were largely unaffected by the tsunami and the majority continue to offer their usual high standard of service. Despite this, occupancy rates have dropped sharply, compared to the full occupancy that is typical for this time of the year. Maldives

ADOPT AN ISLAND is part of a programme to address the immediate and now urgent need for shelter. By adopting one or more of the 22 islands participating under the programme, which are among the worst affected, private donors can directly help people to repair or rebuild their homes.

How to help? • From the attached you will see the names of some of the hardest hit islands and their need for shelter. You simply select the island you wish to assist. • Once you have made your selection, please contact us and we will send you a detailed description of the programme activities foreseen.

What do you get in return? • Due acknowledgement for your support. • Information on the progress of our efforts. • Knowledge that you have truly made a difference for those whose lives have been ravaged by the tsunami.

If you would like to adopt an island, please contact: Ibrahim Rasheed United Nations Development Programme in the Maldives Phone: +960 324501, Mobile: +960 771648, Email: [email protected] Or Abdul Bari Abdulla United Nations Development Programme in the Maldives Phone: +960 324501, Mobile: +960 785403

Moez Doraid UNDP Officer-in-charge Adopt one of these severely affected MaroshiMarosh islands KomandooKomandoo MaafaruMaafaru

KihaadhooKihaadhoo Island TOTAL Maroshi US$ 305,000 Komandoo US$ 960,000 DhiffushiDhiffushi US$ 1,580,000 HurraaHurraa /baa atholl US$ 180,000 GuraidhooGuraidhoo US$ 225,000 US$ 395,000 US$ 945,000 VeyvahVeyvah US$ 95,000 US$ 3,090,000 MaaeboodhooMaaeboodhoo Muli US$ 640,000

MaabaidhooMaabaidhoo Naalaafushi US$ 180,000 US$ 74,000 Gemendhoo US$ 1,085,000 Maaeboodhoo US$ 340,000 US$ 2,725,000 US$ 4,560,000 MaamendhooMaamendhoo NNilandhooilandhoo DhanndhooDhanndhoo Dhabidhoo US$ 575,000 US$ 1,085,000 US$ 695,000 Villingili US$ 1,270,000 US$ 340,000 US$ 760,000 ADOPT AN ISLAND: breakdown of costs to meet shelter needs

People in the Maldives take years to build their homes because construction materials like cement and steel all have to be imported as they can not be produced locally. After the tsunami, the cost of rebuilding/repair is proving prohibitive for many islanders.

Total Displaced Damaged Destroyed

Atoll Island Population People Houses* Houses* TOTAL* Sh Maroshi 834 228 76 8 US$ 305,000

Sh Komandoo 1611 780 113 34 US$ 960,000 N Maafaru 991 300 130 60 US$ 1,580,000

B Kihaadhoo 388 336 25 6 US$ 180,000 K Dhiffushi 1005 228 137 0 US$ 225,000 K Huraa 708 373 101 10 US$ 395,000

K Guraidhoo 1450 720 75 36 US$ 945,000 M Veyvah 272 12 58 0 US$ 95,000

M Kolhufushi 1232 1202 35 133 US$ 3,090,000 M Muli 764 650 83 22 US$ 640,000

M Naalaafushi 465 390 67 3 US$ 180,000

Dh Rinbudhoo 710 336 45 US$ 74,000

Dh Gemendhoo 500 360 50 44 US$ 1,085,000

Dh Maaeboodhoo 859 680 56 11 US$ 340,000 Th Madifushi 1017 700 61 115 US$ 2,725,000 Th Vilufushi 1882 1156 24 198 US$ 4,560,000

L Dhabidhoo 856 464 86 19 US$ 575,000

L Maabaidhoo 867 700 35 45 US$ 1,085,000

GA Maamendhoo 1260 452 117 22 US$ 695,000 GA Villingili 2907 1680 275 36 US$ 1,270,000

GA Dhaandhoo 1693 253 109 7 US$ 340,000 GA Nilandhoo 923 224 71 28 US$ 760,000 Table: sourced from Government data (also used for Joint Needs Assessment by World Bank/ ADB/UN) * To repair a damaged house costs an average of US$ 1,400. To totally rebuild a house costs an average of US$ 19,500. Of the total cost, 17% goes towards strengthening the capacity of communities to plan, design and manage reconstruction efforts themselves. Fact sheet At a glance..... Key target: Emergency shelter re- sponse for tsunami affected people of the Maldives Beneficiaries: Families whose homes were partly or completely destroyed. Commencing: February 2005 © Umair M. Badeeu/ UNDP Duration: Six months

Partners on the ground: The Govern- Recovery begins with a home ment of the Maldives, UN-Habitat, Maldives Housing and Urban De- It took only seconds for the most Materials that need to be sourced velopment Board, Local Level Atoll powerful tsunami in living memory to elsewhere will be procured by UNDP wash away decades of progress on Administration units, NGOs, Private through local companies, and delivered a third of the 199 inhabited islands of to the communities. On each island, Sector and communities. the Maldives. rebuilding teams will be established to carry out the reconstruction work. Spread over 900 kilometres, the Maldives is a country of 1,190 islands. The emphasis on using local skills, Dotted throughout this vast archipelago resources and labour is designed to are close-knit communities of 500 to kick-start local economies and provide 1,000 people who normally earn a people, who have lost their livelihoods, living through fishing, agriculture, or a short-term income opportunity. by working on resort islands. Meanwhile, at the national The people of the Maldives need level, UNDP has agreed to assist help now to rebuild their shattered the Government in developing communities and regain their incomes. strategies and plans for ensuring This critical recovery can begin when that building codes apply to both families are once again able to live in public and private structures, their homes. making everyone safer in the future.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Human Settlements Project targets Programme (UN-Habitat), in partnership with the Government, have © Umair M. Badeeu/ UNDP drawn a comprehensive plan that will • Thousands of families assisted to enable hundreds of communities to rebuild/ repair their homes reconstruct and repair their homes. • Hundreds of communities assisted Through three sub-offices, based to plan, prioritize and manage local in the north, central and south rebuilding efforts of the archipelago, UNDP will work with hundreds of Island • Local economies revitalized Development Committees to identify those families most in need. • Strengthened government capacity for land use planning and These committees will also help to risk reduction. map local skills and resources on affected and neighbouring islands. © Umair M. Badeeu/ UNDP

UNDP would like to thank the following groups for their support:

Maldives National Maldives Association United Nations Human Chamber of Commerce of Tourism Industries Settlements Programme and Industry

For further information, please contact the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in the Maldives: UN Building, Buruzu Magu, Male. Ph: +960 324501, email: [email protected], www.mv.undp.org Background note: tsunami A silent disaster in the Maldives The Maldives was among the worst hit countries when the December 26 tsunami thundered through the Asia-Pacific region. The low-lying nation of islands was swamped by waves up to four meters. Considering that the average island reaches an elevation of only 1.5 meters above sea level, it is easy to imagine that the tsunami left little standing on those islands hit. Luckily, the majority of the nation’s valuable resort islands (tourism accounts for 33% of GDP) were spared. However, the industry has slumped as tourists numbers fell dramatically following the tsunami. The Maldives at a glance: The impact of the tsunami severely affected one third of the Maldivian population, washing away their homes, incomes and • Pop. 290,000 even some people’s way of life. 13 islands had to be abandoned, • 1,190 islands extending over 900 rendering entire communities displaced. The scale of this disaster kilometers is unprecedented in the Maldives. Yet, to the casual observer, the low fatalities, when • 199 inhabited islands compared to other countries hit by the tsunami, leaves the • Main income: tourism, fishing and impression that the Maldives had escaped the worst. This is small scale agriculture simply not the case. The Asian Development Bank concluded The impact at a glance:

• One third of the population severely affected, losing their homes, water/ food supplies, and livelihoods • Entire communities uprooted and displaced • No physical capital left standing on many islands • Vegetation and top soil washed away from agricultural plots • Fresh water sources contaminated by sea water • Main industries (tourism, fisheries) badly affected © Fathimath Rasheed

that the economy of the Maldives and Sri Lanka were the worst affected as a result of the tsunami. Fisheries and tourism comprise about half of the national GDP. The tsunami severely crippled both these industries. It is clear that external assistance will be required to help this nation overcome the impact of this disaster. Until now, only half the funds requested by the UN Flash Appeal for immediate relief and recovery have been secured. More funds are needed urgently, so that people can return to their communities and rebuild their lives. This is especially the case in the area of shelter where nothing so far has been committed. Though demographically dispersed, the Maldives is a closely-knit nation of determined people. The World Bank ranked the country among the top five for effective aid utilization. There is no doubt the nation can recover if outside assistance is provided.